Sometimes the man makes the moment, sometimes the moment makes the man. Weve already mentioned how the post-Wrestlemania RAW crowd is something a little bit special larger, more committed and passionate, and also much, much more difficult to manipulate than usual, its a free-for-all at times to see whether the WWEs top names will get the reaction theyre intended to. On the night after Wrestlemania XXIX, the crowd were in a particularly fickle mood. Resolutely unwilling to toe the company line, the WWE Universe buried the Sheamus/Orton match completely, ignoring the in-ring action to chant for the referee, the commentators, Randy Savage hell, pretty much everyone except for the whitebread borefests decorating the ring. Let's not forget the utterly brilliant 'we are awesome' chant, the crowd paying homage to itself. Then there was the constant singing of and dancing to lower-card-lifer Fandangos theme music, even when it wasnt playing, the utter dismissal of John Cena as a champion and a human being and, early on in proceedings, the ecstatic marking out to Dolph Ziggler cashing in the Money In The Bank briefcase on a (kayfabe) injured babyface Alberto Del Rio after a punishing win over Jack Swagger, to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKqtFqpRLEk As soon as Zigglers music hits, the crowd goes from 0 to 60 like a well-tuned Ferrari. From that moment on theyre all over it, dismayed and disappointed when the limping babyface mounts a comeback, popping all over again when the heel challenger targets the injured leg and, counting as one monolithic voice for Zigglers pinfall attempts, exploding when he finally gets it. Its the biggest moment in Zigglers career to date, and the catalyst for his babyface turn weeks later.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
